


Black Stained Fire

by Zonkingoff



Category: Sanders Sides (Web Series)
Genre: Alternate Universe - Soulmates, Awkward Conversations, M/M, Soulmates, Worldbuilding, building on fire
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2020-09-06
Updated: 2020-09-25
Packaged: 2021-03-07 00:47:48
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 2
Words: 2,642
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/26318182
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Zonkingoff/pseuds/Zonkingoff
Summary: In a world where everyone has a person set to be their soulmate based on black marks on their body, Patton cant help to be horribly unsure and awkward when he finally meets his on his vacation trip in the middle of nowhere.
Relationships: Deceit | Janus Sanders & Morality | Patton Sanders, Deceit | Janus Sanders/Morality | Patton Sanders
Kudos: 19





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

> I'll be adding tags as I go because my outline to be honest is very vague! I hope this is something yall enjoy.

When the world was created it was the collision of 1000 stars or planets. Their heat death made the planet, and the small organisms on it that developed from cells to dinosaurs, to apes, and then humanity. Humans made of stardust, every one made from special stars all desperate to meet, and become whole though the permanence of a relationship was the best they would gain. That's what Patton believes, well once he removes all the religion. Patton was nauseated at the thought of the lord's judgy stare and all his love magnets wrapped around his neck, arms and legs because he didn't want people to assume he wasn't trying. He was 28 and unloved, the shame, the disgust, the absolute pain he must have been in.

Patton goes to rub his back, so chilled when met with the warmth on his face. He couldn't feel the blackened mark on his shoulder though he knew it was there. Taunting him, shaming his loveless life, that no one was holding him, kissing him, adoring him. No exuberant display of colors moving around his back to tell him he found the one. Not that he'd get to see it anyways for that it was practically impossible to view without assistance. Unless he met his soulmate in a mirror store. The ugly birthmark etched from shoulder blade to blade and taunting him like his overbearing mother, on and on about whatever he could be forgetting, or failing to succeed at. 

Patton desperately needed a vacation, his thoughts begged him for it. Get away from the nagging, teaching about the same lessons he's been teaching for 4 years. The dead grandmother that loomed over judging his every move. He got a substitute, packed a bag, and drove. He lacked any proper plan, just desperately searching for the power he needed to restart his brain. The drive did that for a bit, wind in his face, stopping to just see the sights. He ate a few bugs accidentally, though it was his fault, he reckoned for keeping his windows wide open. He consistently stopped at only the sketchiest of stopping places that made Patton fearful of his life, along with admittedly more pleasant hikes and stops. He saw a bizarre museum filled with large statues of dinosaurs that he bought a cactus-shaped pair of sunglasses, and five packs of cactus snacks from. One hike was jaw-droppingly splendid, ending at a grand Lake he happily swam in for. Patton also slept in his car for the last few nights, putting a crook in his glasses. It was all peace for him though, finally, he felt free, vindicated, then he was driving back. 

Patton had driven off to a small town, called Harmony. It was no different than another small town, it only had a Burger Queen, grocery store, gas station, and all the other small town essentials. There was the siren song of smoke flying to the sky so close it caught attention. This was a dry place, it wasn't a surprise a fire started, but Patton thought it would be bushes or cacti. When Patton finally drove down to the exit lane of the freeway the smell of burning plastic and charred wood.

Closer, the smoke was black

Closer, it was in its area about to eat the bushes around.

Closer, it was hot warming his car as Patton parked.

Patton got out, pulling his cloth headband to cover his mouth. His hair fell into his face. Stuffy and hot but he didn't want to breathe in something harmful. He just wanted to look, see if there was anything he could do. He looked to see someone in uniform with a phone and looking back and forth to another person. It was his terrible part of him that made him stay, watch possibly someone's world falls apart and nothing could be done. A firefighter station was miles away, when they got there it would all gone just smoldering black and a possible forest fire. He watched his face warm, almost suffocating in nature, and he continued to listen to the fire's siren song. 

It was mindless watching Patton presumed, as his head went blank focusing on crackling and the way orange swayed and danced around. Patton only grounded himself when he stopped being the only person watching. Patton dragged himself to reality stepping back. He had to go, he had to get back in his car he had to-

Patton steps back suddenly feeling something broad behind him. He felt a jolt of electricity, stumbling jumping forward nearly falling. Then he feels a hand, a strong one grabs his wrist. Patton turns to look at him, to see a beautiful visage of a man with vitiligo around his eye. He also had a wide eye expression with his mouth agape. Patton stands himself back up, "Oh thank you! So sorry about knocking into ya bud!" He says about to pull his arm away, leave. The man didn't let go and Patton tried to pull his hand away. 

"Can you let go of me, please? I got to go," Patton says.

"You're my soulmate, holy shit!"

Patton felt himself become cold, his eyes wide and he had no words. They stood in silence for a moment as Patton felt nauseous. What was he meant to do now?

"You're My Soulmate is a weird name."

The man blinks forcing a laugh, "Oh you're funny, my name's Janus."

Patton never expected meeting his soulmate to be uncomfortable, his stomach was full of rocks. A dark-haired man’s hopeful look in his eyes and a need for confirmation made Patton feel ill, though he carried on. Patton nods slowly, "So my back did the lighting thing?" He asks, trying to look over his shoulder. He saw sparks of Blue and yellow though he could tell they were fading and muddying back to the skin. His birthmark would be gone to reveal the tattoo he got with his friends. It was a small sentence, if he remembered properly it said, "Hey soulmate! I'm a fungi!" With a toadstool beside it. It was a romantic gesture, supposed to be a talking piece though now it was silly. He possibly should've waited when he was wiser and could have come up with something funnier or realized it was a vacuous decision where he followed the herd and got into the tattoo parlor that for extra cash didn’t ask for identification. 

Janus nods, clearly frozen with anticipation. His straw hat made it hard to see his expressions from time to time though Patton knew the hand movements too well. Patton nods, "Can I see yours?' He asks almost immediately flushed, remembering the area that most definitely his chest. Janus looks a bit surprised though pulling his shirt that was missing some buttons to the side, revealing his peck and disappearing colors. Patton looks away covering his face. Now his face was as warm as behind him though the tingle was different. Janus laughs a bit, "You also seem a bit of a shy one, huh?" He says struggling to button his shirt. Patton looks up to him, "I'm so sorry about that, I need to be more respectful, and probably talk to you, not in front of a burning building." Patton was becoming quite familiar with his laugh, the way it just got more voluminous and the hissing that escaped his lips. 

  
  


Janus finishes his laughing fit, sighing of relief, "Can I treat you to um a slushie from the gas station?" He asks, and Patton was stuck on the way he held his 'S-es.' He muses it looking to the sky. He wanted to be further by now, but his soulmate was right here, existing. Right in front of a burning building and both of them were becoming increasingly sweaty which wasn't exactly what he expected but it had happened. He should finally be happy, people will finally leave him be, finally, look at him without sorrow, finally see him and not what he's missing. 

"I'd love to, but we'll have to be fast, I have to be home soon."


	2. Chapter 2

Janus before they had walked to the gas station had pulled a cane from his car, which rose questions Patton was not comfortable asking without feeling well, like an asshole. It at this moment would have been unseemly, from what he could see of Janus and had wide scarring around his face, that whatever had happened to him, left some of his facial muscles unemployed and his expressions crooked and without clarity. Though it added character, Patton personally fancied, as the amount of them and how different the ones on his face were, Patton would have guessed he was well lived. But, it was none of his business, and he desperately wanted to becoming, and at least decent. So he considered other questions, that might have been more fun, and not atrociously bland. Though that had shown to be awfully hard for him, he wasn’t as creative or confident as his few friends were, he still kept trying.

One he complated asking though his disregarded as trite; What was with his transportation? His car; beat up, and vintage with a cracked front light and a mustard yellow. It was ugly, though it had some charm to it. It was a miracle the ancient heap of metal could have run. It would have been a wonderful conversational piece, though Patton couldn’t gather the words in his head to even form thought to ask any interesting questions. Instead, the uncomfortable silence Patton dreaded that followed them and Patton let his eyes wander. His eyes danced from his soulmate’s hat, back to the black smoke of the fire as it rose. Someone's life became so tiring because of it, and Patton could only imagine how terrifying it must have been to see it to start sparking, arose unsurrendering rage. That fast-food restaurant was more likely owned by someone who lived in this nowhere town, and that could have been their only revenue, and It was gone. He was killing any possible mood for himself, his eyes nearly tearing up, though he knew he was good at concealing it. 

Janus asked his own question he had repeated a few times before Patton processed it, "So you um, ya really like blue, huh?" Patton nods unsure of how to respond, remarking a bit too loud, "Blue is so many things you know? Sad, deep, mysterious, energetic, sweet," oh lord someone stop him from talking more. He seemed to be incapable of even talking like a normal person. 

Janus did thankfully, "sweet huh? What's the blue you're wearin now?" 

The now embarrassed overly color-coordinated man stares at his shirt with a small smile responding, "Its… hmmm blue?" His face must have been awfully pink though Janus just nods with a grin, "You own a lotta blue? or does it just happen that you wore only blue today, and your car is blue?" Patton had laughed trying to bite back his current embarrassment, "Blue is nice, as I said. Cyan-tifically proven to be the best color!" Janus tilted his head back to laugh though it was blunt and fast. Patton couldn't tell if it was genuine with how harsh and quick it was, and Patton anxiety bonked him on the side of his head, as his shoulders tensed. Was meeting his soulmate supposed to be this embarrassing to the point he might have well been launched back the experience of his high school prom, he wanted to bite off his whole hand from the wrist than continuing to ramble.

Silence had held them both with its awful clammy hand as they glanced at each other. Luckily the gas station had saved the mood. Well, as much as the mood could have been saved when a fast food restaurant burned in the background and the smell was engraved in their skin to smell like a burning building for the next month. Janus with a confident grin exclaimed, "Whatever you want, it's your soulmate!" Patton grew a small smile, "Okie Dokie, can I have the gas station?" He suspected that his soulmate had forgotten his name already.

Janus had laughed again in that oddly harsh and dry way again, as he watched him fumble for his wallet in the back of his pants. He pulled it out pulling out a 20 dollar bill, "Do you think they'd sell me the place for 20 dollars?" Patton thought just for a second before stomping it out in a twinge of guilt on how he didn’t think it would be worth half that. The fact someone worked there was awful to live so far away from the world was the worst thought to him.

Patton snorts, "Just kidding, no offense to the gas station but I wouldn't have the time to take up such a business venture in the middle of nowhere."

Patton had quickly realized that was in fact the wrong words to use from the cock of Janus's eyebrow, "Middle of Nowhere? Huh?" Patton felt his blood run cold, as he was recoiling from his own words, stamping over an intelligible statement. Patton’s red face dissolved Janus’s stern expression as he laughed. “You are easy to mess with, you know that?” Patton’s face heated up, he suddenly felt small, a feeling even as a teacher his coworkers made him feel like all his friends did or everyone has since he was little. Patton simply walked forward to the soda fountain, grabbing a smaller cup that was still massive, and started filling it with Sprite, and thought about how his soulmate was a bit of a fuckstick. Janus followed behind, grabbing a cup himself, smiling to himself, crooked, but warm. He was filling up his own cup with some energy drink that reeked of chemicals and artificial oranges. Patton’s nose crinkled up as he went back to his drink, adding cherry flavoring to avoid staring his soulmate down. 

There was not much to it then, staring at each other when the other wasn't as they walked. The cashier who was distracted listening to the faint sound of alarms finally making their way in slow time and Patton had to ask them a few times to pay for their drinks. Janus’s feet seemed to trail behind, Patton finding it hard to keep to his slow pace, walking ahead accidentally a few times. He watched him walk with his cane, the way he leaned on it, Patton did know well the fact he was walking so slow on purpose, being so dramatic with his steps. It made Patton smile for a second though the sun setting was causing his nerves to stand. He hated night driving around this specific area, it was nerve-racking with all the twists and turns of the road.

They were at Patton's car, just staring at each other, waiting for some magic to happen or one of them to say anything. Patton asks after a moment, "Can I have your number?" Janus nods wildly fiddling in his pockets, to pull at his phone, and fiddling with the phone for a moment. Janus passed his phone to Patton and the switched their phones, typing in their information. When Patton was handed his phone back, he waved a small goodbye to Janus, feeling bizarre that would be it. Janus waves to him, giving him a thumbs-up, and then Patton backed up his car and was on his way home. That was it, and Patton was panicking over the whole interaction as he drove away dreadfully embarrassed to the point he nearly drove off the road. He had to pull over 5 miles in, pulling at his hair and nearly texting Janus apologies and then stopping himself, settling for stretching his legs, and streaming in his car. 


End file.
